Sheet holding and dispensing device



Aug- 30, 1960 c. HooFER 2,950,821

' SHEET HOLDING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1956 SHEET HOLDWG AND DESPENSBNG DEVECE Charles F. Hoofer, S21 W. Monroe St., Chicago 6, El.

Filed st. 2S, 1956, Ser. No. 618,297

2 Claims. (C1. 211-54) This invention relates to a device for holding and dispensing a plurality of pieces of material such as sheets or strips of paper.

The object of the invention is to provide a holder which will permit strips or sheets of paper to be dispensed or removed therefrom one at a time, the holder being especially suitable for use in handling meal tickets or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet material holder and dispenser which will permit the sheets of material to be removed therefrom one at a time, the device being constructed so that there will be no possibility of a person using the device accidentally hurting himself or herself with a pointed prong or pin which engages the strips-of material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sheet holding and dispensing device which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the sheet holder and dispenser of the present invention, and with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present invention, with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through the base.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken through the device showing the pair of coil sections.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a support member which may have a rectangular shape, and the support member 10 is provided with an aperture or opening 11 whereby the support member can be readily suspended from a nail, hook or the like.

The present invention is directed to a holder or dispenser for supporting a plurality of strips or sheets or material 16 which may be meal tickets or the like. By means of the present invention the user can readily remove one of the strips 16 without the necessity of removing all of the strips 16. The holder or dispenser of the present invention includes a base which is indicated generally by the numeral 12, and the base 12 can be made of any suitable material such as sheet metal. The base 12 includes a pair of spaced apart ears 13 which lie in the same plane, `and the ears 13 are provided with apertures 14'whereby suitable securing elements such as rivets 1S can be extended through the `apertures 14 and into engagement with the support member 10.

Extending outwardly from `each ear 13 is an offset portion 17 which terminates in a main body portion 1S. The main body portion 1S of the base 12 is provided with a pair of struck-in portions 19 which define lugs for a purpose to be later described. Extending downwardly from the main body portion 18 of the base ,12 is an olfset lip 21, and the free edge of the lip 21 `abuts or engages the support member 10.

There is further provided a spring member which is indicated generally by the numeral 22, and the spring member 22 includes a pair of spaced parallel coils 23. Extending from each coil 23 is a iirst section 24, and the pair of iirst sections 24 :are arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other and extend below the main body portion 18, the sections 24 being arranged in engagement with the lugs 19.

Extending upwardly from each coil 23 is a second section 25, and each of the pair of second sections 25 terminates in a third section 26. Depending downwardly from each third section 26 is a fourth section l27, and the pair of fourth sections 27 terminate in upwardly extending Ilifth sections 29, the ifth sections 29 being interconnected together by a sixth section l30. The junction or bend between the sections 27 and 29 are indicated by the numeral 2S and the bend 23 defines a shoulder which engages the sheets of material 16 so as to retain the sheets of material 16 in place on the holder whereby the sheets will not be accidentally removed therefrom.

The sheets of material 16 are provided with registering openings or apertures 31, `Figure 3, and extendingupwardly from the main body portion 18 of the base 12 is a prong or pin 32 which is provided with an outer pointed end 33. The pin 32 extends through the registering apertures 31 in the sheets 16.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a holder and dispenser which is especially suitable for use in handling a plurality of sheets of material such as the sheets or strips 16 which may be meal tickets or tfheV like.V In use,`the support member 10 may be suspended from a suitable securing element which can extend through or engage the aperture 11 in the support member 10. The base 12 is secured to the support member 11) through the medium of the securing elements or rivets 15, The base V12 includes the apertured ears 13, the offset portions 17, and the main body portions 1.8, and the base 12 further includes the downwardly extending lip 21. 'Phe device further includes the spring member 22 which may be made of a single piece of wire which is shaped to define ya ypair of spaced apart coils 23. The coils 23 terminate in the first sections 24, and the coils 23 also have end portions -terminating in second sections 25. Extending from the sections 25 are sections 26 which terminate in downwardly extending sections 27. As shown in Figure 3, the Apointed pin 32 which extends upwardly from the base 12, projects through the registering openings 31 in the sheets 16 and the upper or outer pointed end 33 of the pin 32 is spaced below the sections 26 and 27 of the spring member 22 whereby a person will not accidentally stick the pointed end 33 in his or her finger. Thus, by having the pointed end 33 of the pin '32 spaced inwardly away from the sections 26 and 27, it will be seen that the sections 26 and 27 define or provide a guard which serves to protect the user against injury from the pointed end 33. Furthermore, the sections 27 terminate in the shoulders 28 which resiliently bear against the sheets 16 so as to help hold the sheets 16 in their proper position on the base 12. However, when it is desired to remove one of the sheets y16 from the device, it is only necessary to manually grip an end of one of the sheets 16 whereby the sheet 1,6 can be readily torn from the pin 32 and then removed from engagement with the shoulders 28. Due to the inherent resiliency of the spring member 22, the shoulders 28 will normally maintain the sheets 16 in their proper stacked position.

While the present invention has been illustrated for Patented Aug. 30, 1960 use with meal tickets or the like, it is to be understood that the device can be used for 'holding and dispensing many other sheets of material. Furthermore, if desired the device can be used without the support member since the apertured ears 13 can be secured to any desired supporting structure. -The spring member 22 is formed so as to deiine a clamp which engages the articles positioned on the pin 32. Also, as previously described the spring member 22 deiines a guard which prevents injury from the sharp end 33 of the pin. With the present invention single sheets of paper or the like can be dispensed from the holder which supports a plurality of sheets of paper and `there will be no disruption to any of the remaining sheets of paper on the device. The head of the pin 32 may be embedded in a suitable plug which is positioned in the main body portion `18 of the base 12 as shown in .Figure 4. The sections 24 of the spring member 22 are gripped by the lugs 19 whereby the spring member is maintained connected to the base.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a clip which can be used for holding any suitable material such -as printed 'advertisements or small pads of meal checks or the like such as those which are used in restaurants or other establishments. Thus, a single slip of paper can be removed from the stack or pad of papers without disturbing any of the other papers. Furthermore, with Athe present invention the papers will -not be accidentally blown away by the wind or otherwise lost or accidentally separated. The provision of the sections 29 which extend in an upward direction from the lip 21 facilitates the insertion of the papers 16 into the device. In the event that the papers 16 are not provided with the openings 31, then the pointed prong 32 can be inserted through the sheets of paper so as to form its own openings. Due to the provision of the spring member 22, the device is lllexible so that the number of sheets being held therein can be varied as desired.

il claim:

l. A holder and dispenser comprising a base including a pair of coplanar apertured ears, oiset portions extending outwardly from said ears and terminating in a main body portion, an offset lip having a portion extending downwardly from said main body portion in a plane at an angle to the plane of the fears and spaced laterally therefrom, said main body portion being provided with a pair of struck-in portions defining lugs, a spring member including a pair of spaced parallel coil sections, a rst pair of spaced parallel straight sections extending from said coil sections and extending below said main body portion of said base and engaging said lugs, `a second pair of sections extending upwardly from said coil sections and each terminating in a third section, said third sections terminating in downwardly extending spaced third sections terminating in downwardly extending 'from said main body portion intermediate of the third section of said spring member.

2. In a holder and dispenser, a base embodying a pair of coplanar apertured spaced apart ears, offset portions extending outwardly from said ears and terminating in a main body portion, an offset lip extending downwardly from said rnain body portion, said main body portion being provided with a'pair of struck-in portions which define lugs, a spring member fabricated of a single piece of material and shaped to include a pair of spaced parallel coil sections, a iirst pair of spaced parallel straight sections extending from said coil sections and extending below said main body portion of said base and engaging said lugs, said lfirst sections being arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other, a second pair of sections extending upwardly from said coil sections and each terminating in a third section, said spaced parallel fourth sections, a iftih section extending in an upward direction from each of said fourth sections, the junction Ibetween the fourth and fth sections defining a shoulder, a sixth section extending between said pair of fifth sections, and -a prong extending upwardly from said main body portion and having its lower end secured to said main body portion, said prong having an upper pointed end, the upper pointed end of the prong being arranged below the third and fourth sections of the spring member whereby a person will not accidentalparallel fourth sections, a lifth section extending upwardly from each of said fourth sections, a sixth section exly stick the pointed end in his or her iinger and whereby by having the pointed end of the prong spaced inwardly away from the third and fourth sections, the third and fourth sections define a lguard which serves to protect the user against injury from the pointed end.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,949 Perry Mar. 16, 1875 201,073 Webster Mar. 5, 1878 360,348 Heilbrunn Mar. 29, 1887 473,099 'Vincentz Apr. 19, 1892 564,172 Butcher July '14, 1896 739,436 Munn Sept. 22, 1903 l 919,718 Hanchett Apr.`27, 1909 r 920,148 Jackson May 4, 1909 1,359,243 -Flournoy Nov. 16, 1920 2,398,487 Zalkind Apr. 16, 1946 2,607,070 Wertz Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 326,244v Great Britain Mar. 10, 1930 

